Research Simulation And Development Of A Software For An Optical Astronomical Statellite Tracking System

Abstract

Space Situational Awareness (SSA) in this thesis is the research of tracking orbital objects and predicting their positions in space. The main goal of any SSA system is to create models that link the threats and hazards in space. SSA also provides opportunities to reduce the hazards and the resources for present and future space programs. The thesis focusses on determining the orbit of space debris and satellites orbiting from observation images of optical telescope systems. To do that, at the first step, the high accuracy azimuth and elevation measurement angles of targets are extracted by the combination of the initial telescope's parameter and star pattern from Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Star Catalog. The series of AZ and EL measurements are inputs for Gauss’s method integrating with Kalman filter to determine 6 orbital parameters. This whole process is calculated in the thesis by using a numerical method to simulate data (image is taken from an optical telescope). Those data are used to determine the performance of the algorithms tested to configure the optimal setup. The results of the thesis can be used to evaluate algorithmic quality, to analyze system design or similar studies to determine orbital object trajectories.